Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s decision to stall the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy projects by hook or crook came in severe criticism from Telangana MPs today.
MPs Prof Seetaram Naik (Mahabubabad) and Konda Visweswar Reddy (Chevella) today took strong objection to the stand taken by Andhra Pradesh cabinet and requested Naidu not to make any attempt to stall these projects, which were meant to supply water to the regions which were badly neglected in united Andhra Pradesh
“Telangana was given a raw deal during the united Andhra Pradesh days. No major projects were sanctioned and water was denied for decades . Now an attempt is being made by chief minister to do justice to these backward regions,” they said.
They averred that the projects planned on rivers Godavari and Krishna were well within the water allocation made to Telangana state.
“Andhra Pradesh has no objection if the water flows down to Sea. It makes hue and cry when Telangana wants to divert to the water to the backward regions. What sort of policy is this ” Visweswar Reddy asked.
Finding fault with the attitude of YSRCP and TDP towards Telangana projects, Naik and Reddy said even their own parties in Telangana were not happy with their stand with regard to the Telangana projects.
They cited the protest by YSRCP MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who joined TRS after Jagan announced his fast against the projects.
” Even though Naidu calls himself as the national president of Telugu Desam, he is not treating Andhra and Telangana on equal footing,” they said. In response to Naidu’s opposition to Palamuru- Ranga Reddy project, the MPs revived their old demand that the height of Polavarm project be reduced.
” We are not against the Polavarm project. But, we have objection to the height of the project. If the project were to be built with the present height, besides Bhadrachalam temple town and many aadivasi areas would face the threat of submergence,” they said.
Counseling the two Andhra parties to shun their hostile attitude towards Telangana, Prof Seetaram Naik and Visweswar Reddy said this was the reason for their rout in Telangana elections.
